Use of antipsychotic drug treatment in nursing home patients is down nearly 10%, according to data from the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

Use of antipsychotic drug treatment in nursing home patients is on the decline, according to data from the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).

Inappropriate antipsychotic use in nursing homes has long been a concern, according to CMS, but following the launch of the agency's National Partnership to Improve Dementia Care, use of antipsychotic medication fell 9.1% among long-stay nursing home residents from the last quarter of 2011 to the first quarter of 2013.

That translated to roughly 30,000 fewer residents receiving such drugs.

Excessive and inappropriate use of antipsychotic drugs can result in death, myocardial infarction, stroke, falls, hospitalizations, and other adverse events, the partnership website noted, adding that nonpharmacologic interventions may improve patient quality of life, build relationships between residents, and can reduce the risk of medication errors.

The agency noted that 11 states -- including Alabama, Delaware, Georgia, Kentucky, Maine, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Vermont -- have met or exceeded this 15% reduction and that "others are quickly approaching that goal."

To help reduce consumption of antipsychotic drugs, the program offers enhanced training to nursing home providers and state surveyors, encourages increased transparency through reporting of drug use data via a web portal, and introduces a number of nondrug care strategies.

One method of nonpharmacologic intervention includes use of various activities such as art therapy, cognitive retraining, dance and drama therapies, exercise, and pet therapy. According to a CMS brief supporting these interventions, art therapies promote dialogue, focus attention, allow for creative interpretation, help trigger long-term memories, elevate mood and build positive social interaction, engage residents, and give residents a voice.

The brief also offered gradual dose reduction for prospective management of drug-managed symptoms in patients receiving antipsychotics, as well as examples for when such dose reductions would be contraindicated.

MedPageToday is a trusted and reliable source for clinical and policy coverage that directly affects the lives and practices of health care professionals.

Physicians and other healthcare professionals may also receive Continuing Medical Education (CME) and Continuing Education (CE) credits at no cost for participating in MedPage Today-hosted educational activities.